How many training sessions do I need to do for a well behaved dog?
As a trainer 22 years in, I can tell you that I get asked this question a lot. Believe me, I wish I had a crystal ball that gave me the answer for each and every dog. But the truth is here are some of the things that need to be considered in calculating that answer:
1. How many times a day do people parent their child?
2 sessions x 15 minutes do it? 🤣 Nope it doesn't work that way, right?
And so it goes for dogs too.
2. Living well with a dog cannot be based on clocking in and clocking out of X number of sessions.
3. Some skills are easier than others for certain dogs.
4. The same skill one dog masters quickly, may take months or even a year to master by another.
Think times tables, advanced math skills, reading, how to ride a bike with a kid. Yes, there are supposed standards in age to accomplish these type of abilities, but some kids take way longer than others to learn these basic skills.
5. Most parents would agree that the biggest lessons and most progress occur when life is simply happening and spontaneous behavior is happening as well.
6. Yes, doing 2 short training session a day is the foundation for training success, but it can't be just about those two session and the rest of the time your dog is just supposed to know what to do. *Especially early on
Back to the question, how many times do you need to parent a day in order to raise a well rounded child who makes good decisions on their own? How can you possibly expect your dog, who by the way doesn't have the same problem solving capabilities in their brains to make good decisions on their own from 2 training sessions x 4 weeks?
7. So how will you live well with your dog and your dog live well with you? Unless you are sleeping and so is your dog, you're clocked in!
Yes, do the short foundation training sessions, do the 20 minute walk with your dog... do all of those things, but also do all the "paw-enting moments in between as well.
8. There is no exact recipe in a few sessions. Think of it as a combination of specifics. Behaviors you want your dog to do and behaviors you want your dog to stop doing.
9. Better to think of it as life training rather than obedience training. (I don't like using the word obedience in my coaching session for people and their dogs at all... I mean who willingly signs up for obedience??!)
You want a dog that comes when called, a rock solid recall, doesn't jump on people, ignores other dogs and just hangs with you on a walk or a run, doesn't steal food off of your table, plays fetch with you, hangs out and chills with you. Some want their dog cuddling on the couch with them. Some don't want their dog on the furniture at all.
What you want for your dog may be entirely different than someone else.
You wouldn't show your kid how to do things or stop doing other things in a few minutes a day for 6 weeks and expect them be well trained. Don't expect your dog to be amazing in a few weeks and a short daily session working on the skills you want if you want the best dog ever, or even a pretty good dog!
10. Dog Life Unleashed
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